16 Field Museum curators offered early retirement

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago's Field Museum is offering early retirement to more than half of its curators as part of a wide-ranging effort to reduce its debt.

Spokeswoman Nancy O'Shea says 16 of the museum's 27 curators have been offered the incentive. Those eligible are 55 or older and have at least 10 years on the job.

The museum announced in December that it would try to cut museum costs by $5 million and increase its endowment by $100 million. Officials say it's also an opportunity to refocus the mission of the museum, one of Chicago's top cultural attractions.

The Field Museum is known for its research into plants and animals and for its impressive collections, including Sue, the world's largest and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex.